Insulated Stainless Steel Growlers: Review of Alpha Armur

Insulated Stainless Steel Growlers

When trying to find ways to transport kegged beer in small batches, all sorts of options present themselves. Some are better than others, some are stratospherically expensive, and some simply don’t do the job. Insulated stainless steel growlers are a commonly considered option, but how do they stack up?

First Glance

The colors available are very attractive and the shape is reminiscent of a soft drink bottle. It seems a little flimsy, so I have my doubts about the vacuum seal really working as insulation. The capacity is 32 oz (two liters), but the double wall increases the size a little bit. The seals seem well made.

The product is available on Amazon for about $25, but you can also find it via the manufacturer’s website, alphaarmur.com.

The Test

I filled the bottle with FuBar Chicken Street IPA and let it sit for several hours. I tested the ease of filling, the seal quality, how well it maintains temperature, and the carbonation loss.

Filling:

This was a bit tricky. FuBar uses speed taps, which are quite stubby and very fast. I did experience some foaming as the beer ran down the side of the bottle. I believe this could be fixed by adding a length of tubing to the tap and inserting the other end to the bottom of the bottle.

Seal:

This was a very simple test. I screwed on the cap and inverted the bottle. A few minutes later, no leaks were evident. Good result.

Temperature Difference:

After several hours, I poured the beer into a glass. It poured easily through the mouth of the bottle. I was very surprised – the beer felt cold to the touch – as if it had just come from the tap!

After pouring one glass, I sealed the bottle again. Two hours later, the beer was still cold, possibly just a degree or two less cold than the first glass.

Carbonation Loss:

I allowed for the fact that there was slight foaming when filling the bottle. Even so, the first glass was still very well carbonated. The second glass seemed a little flatter, which is a problem you would expect with any growler. My conclusion is that, at one liter of beer per fill, this bottle works best as a single-serving growler.

Conclusion

The Alpha Armur insulated stainless steel growler works better than expected. If you plan on taking a small amount of beer somewhere for consumption within 24 hours, this is a very good option.

At $25 per piece, this Alpha Armur unit beats many other alternatives. It won’t do anything to help carbonation, but it will keep your beer cold and drinkable for a long time. It is also very easy to clean.

Suggestions

First, get a piece of food-grade beer tube that fits snuggly into your tap and cut it long enough to reach the bottom of the bottle. This will reduce foaming issues when filling.

Second, there is no strap or attachment to keep the bottle attached to your person. If you can find a solution, please let me know in the comments section!